Fluid-mixing device



Oct. 2, 1928.

H. D. BowMAN FLUID MIXING DEVICE s'sheets-sheet' Filed May 6, 1927 @INV l. v may M Oct. 2, 1928.

HQ D. BowMAN FLUID MIXING DEVICE Filed May 6, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 N Il.

.w a Il( A H L w .Qct 2, 1928. H. D. BQWMAN FLUID MIXING DEVICE.

Patented Get. 2, 1928.

merry` srar ine-,199z

@Grace 1 HYMAN n. Bowman, or PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

FLUID-MIXING DEVICE.

i Application led May 6,

vThis invention relates to fluid mixing devices and more in particular to fluid mixing devices to he used in connection with internal combustion engines of the type used especially on automobiles and the like. y y

One of the primary objects of this invention is to Yprovide afuel mixing device which is operated'and' regulated automatically by the suction created by the movements or' the pis.- tons of an engine in the intake manifold and ywhereby properly gauge-d amounts of gasoline, water, air and vapor may be usedto pro.- duce the most economical operation of the enginewat all kinds of speeds. Another objectl 'relatively simple in construction, easily aidj usted ,and which may beapplied With little trouble and alterations on old engines as Well as nenv ones. Additional features and Vadvantages of this invention Will appear from the following description considered-in connec-y tion 'With the accompanying drawing forming a. part of this application, and'in which:

i Fig. l is a longitudinal section through one type ofmixing device built in accordance with my invention, and rconnected to varionsaccessorial valves, for a purpose to be explained later. y v Y l y .Figa 2 is 4a top view of Fig. 1 Y

`lF 3 is a longitudinal section showing a modified mixing device. i

`Fig. l is a fragmentary view showing an alternative method of connecting various supply pipes to the mixing device.

Fig. 5 is ya,longitudinal sectionthron'gh another'modification of the mixing device.

Fig. 6 is a top plan view takenon line 6-pV in Fig. Y Y I Fig. 'l' is fragmentary view showing one method ot' connecting vthe mixing device 'with the intake manifold oan internalv `Vcombus- 1927. serial No. 189300. 'y

Fig. l() a longitudinal section illustrating still another alternativeconstruction of mixing device. y Y y Figs. 11 and .l2 are fragmentary vieivs .showing t-Wo alternative arrangement-s for pre-heating vmixed fluids before directing them into the inta-ke mani-fold, i

A' fluid mixing' valvel of the construction shown in Figs. l and 2j consistsof the body` l Vcomprising the cylinder housing or suction chamber 2,'the atmospheric chamber 3, the mixing chamber t and the fuel-chamber 5 all: properly aligned and secured by means oft-wo' sets of .screws 6 and 7. "Movable Within the cylinder 'is a control-piston 8 'comprising a disc-member 9 in the `grooved circumference of which is laid'the annular coilv spring` l Which exerts a constant outward pressure onV the piston packing 1l held in place by the' guideivasher l2 andthe nut lscreived on the upper threaded port-ion of the piston rod 14;.;

The pistonis acted upon by a coilspring l5 the tension of which maybe adjusted by means of va threaded bushing' 1,6 Which bears upon the spring-cap 17 pla-ced atf'the kupper end of said spring. A lock-nut 18 holds the bushing in the adjustedA posi-tion.l f 'llienp- Ward travel oit the. piston may be ,regulated bymeans ot the adjusting'pscretv v1.9V positioned in the bushing in line with the piston-rod and lockedby the lock-nntZO.`

The piston-rod la extends dovvn into the luel-chamber and fis guided through the par tition 2l .which separates the air'chamberl from the mixing chamber 'by a stuffing box 22., The lower end of .the piston-rod is slight-v ly reducedin diameterv and 'threaded to receive the closing-valve 23 and the rusto-eonical controlli valve 24, the 'former valve .be, "ing 'preferably spherical, although. other forms .of valves may be used. These two valves are adapted to engage respectivelythe upper and the loir-er ends of the valve-.port 25 drilled in the partition 26 which sepa-rates the mixing chamber Aand the fuel chamber. In the bot-tom of the'latter is drilled through the; apert-lnc 27 and in the thickened portionl 28" of said bottom 'is produced a. duct Qlivhich isv directed radially to the outer periphery of the device and into which isy screwed the di-scharge line 30 which is connectedfintothe inf i i take manifold at av point intermediate the er1-1- .gine and the nsual carburetor (not shown) found on internal combustion engines for' seltpropelled vehicles. Atth'e'lovver end, ,the 1ro tion engine. y Fig. 'Sis a fragmentary view showing a moditication of the connection shown 1in Fis 9 is a rear elevation of the fluidl discharge 'element yshown in Fig. 8.

device has an outwardlyrthreaded shank 31 mixing chamber 4. In Figs. 1 and 2 I have shown three fluid supply pipes `35,36 and 37 which "are intended to carry respectively gasoline,"water and air in the desired propor-l tions adjustable by means of needle-'point valves 38 as shown for the gasoline supply tube. Gasoline may be piped from the Ystorage tank or from the vacuumtank; and water from the cooling system of an automobile, Whereas air may be drawn directly from the atmosphere or from the crank-case of the engine, in Vwhich latter case kthe gasoline fumes escaping into the crank-case will i be recovered to produce useful work. However, if desired. gasoline and water could be obtained vfrom special storage ltanks made for the purpose.

The suctiony chamber 2 communicates with the discharge tube through a duct 39 which is provided-in one side of the body and the atmospheric chamber 3 is at all times in com- Y munication with the atmosphere through the chamber.

port-holes 4() drilled through therwall of said VIn the several supply-pipes may be installed the shut-off valve 41, the ball checkvalve42 and the thermostatic-valve 43, the

purpose ofthe latter being to cut off the sup-A ply Yoffluid until the engine is Well heated. This tliermostatic valve is mounted by means of screws 44 onthe exhaust manifold 33 and consistsiof the valve-body 45, the valve-disc .valve is shut. additionally assisted by the coil spring 49.

The check-valve prevents any heated fuel- 46, the lvalve stem 47 the lower end of which is fastened to the thermostaticstrip 48 held veryclose to the exhaust manifold so as tobe influenced by its temperature.

When the engine isv running, the exhaust manifold is heated andthe strip 48 warpedup, so that the valve-disc opens up;` whereas when the engine is' stopped, the exhaust manifold cools down and said strip assumes the flat shape shown in dot and dash lines wherebythe The closingV of this valve is mixture from flowing backwards into the supply line. .This last named valve as well as the hand adjusted shut-off valve are of commercial type and their construction will v be readily. understood. To prevent any vforeign'matter entering and clogging the mixing-device, a wire screen 50 may be inlserted in thebody of the shut-off valve, being held in place by the' special pipe fitting 51.

beensubstituted for the control-piston 8.r

The body of this valve is also built up of four sections which form the suction-chamber y54, the atmospheric chamber 55, the mixingchamber 56 and the fuel-chainber 57, the bottom of whichhas a` threaded shank 58 whereby the device is screwed onto the exhaustmanifold 33. A spring 59 presses on the top side` of the diaphragm andthe vertical lift of the latter is defined by the vadjusting screw 60 which lies in axial alignment with a diaphragm-rod 61 upon which are threaded for longitudinal adjustmentthe closing valve 2,3 and the controlling valve 24. The coinpression in spring 59 is regulated by means of the bushing 62 in which is provided a stuffing box 63 to prevent leaks. yVarious other parts whose purpose and design have already been described in the first mentioned construction, are identified by the same reference numbers.

In the modification'shown in Figs.' 5 and 6, the formerly called mixing-chamberrhas been divided by radial partitions 64 into as many tight compartments 65 as there are component fluids in the fuel-mixture, three in the present embodiment, namely gasoline, water and air, and the fuel-chamber 66 now functions alsopas a. mixing-chamber. fluid has its own closing valve 23"and controlling valve 24 which are vertically adjustable on their corresponding valve-rods 67 all of'which are mounted on a common piston 68 of substantially identical construction as the one in Fig.r1, except that the piston-rod 69 serves now only as a guide for thepiston by traveling Vwithin suitable registering apert-ures 70 drilled in central hubs provided in -the partitions 71 and 72. Stuffing boxes 22 are also shown for the valve-rods 67. Other parts of previously described purpose are defined by formerly used referencenumbers.

If desired, the waterland air supply p ipe y Each Fig. 10 `represents another alternative construction of the fuel-mixing device, in which the closing-valve 23 and the control-valve 24 are actuated by individual pistons moving in separate bodies, having a common base 73. 74 and 75 'which form the bottom portion of the socalled fuel-chambers and which areV connected together bya duct 76. The pocket 7 4 is closed at the bottom, whereas the pocket 7 5 has the threaded shank 31 and the heatingV In the latter are provided the pockets element into the exhaust manifold, it may be found preferable, especially o n old engines,

to heat the fuel from the outside ofA said manifold. In Fig. 1l I have shown a modified fuel-chamberv 79 which has a suitably curved bottom 79 which fits the top of the manifold. The heat of the latter will `be communicated to the rather thin bottom of the chamber, thus heating the fuel mixturel therein. In this case, the device wouldV be secured by means of a U-boltSO engaging suitablydrilled lugs 80. A f

Another wayv of heating the fuel mixture is suggestedin Fig. 12 whereinthe heating element consists of a tube 81 wound around the exhaust manifold and connected to they fuel-chamber in a manner stated'heretofore. Two U-bolts 82 are shown for fastening the device on the manifold. Suitably ycurved ,bearing ribs 83 have been provided at the vbottom of the fuel-chamber to support the.

Vfor introducing this fuel may be resorted to.`

In Fig. 7 an elbow fitting 8.4 is screwed into the intake-manifold 85 and has a perforated extension 86 through Vwhich the fuel is discharged in a multitude of small sprays intor said manifold.

The construction illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9 comprises the elbow fitting 87 screwedinto a threaded plug88 i'n which is screwed a tube 89 having at its lower end a cage-like hous'- ing 90 in which is mounted a helical impeller 91 which is actuated by t-he suction draft withinthe intake manifold.V The Vfuel mixture coming from the discharge` line 30 is discharged through the aperture 92 against the fan and dispersed into small streams by passing through a fine mesh-screen 93 provided around andin front of the housing 90. The purpose of the large plug 88 is, of course, to permit the insertion of the housing and its tube into the intake `manifold.

0 peratz'ovi..

' It is wellknown, that the suction as read on a vacuum gauge in theiintake manifold of an internal combustion engine is greatest when the throttle valve is closed and least when said valve is full open. 'On account of the discharge line 30 being connected to the intake manifold at a point between the throttle valve and the engine cylinders, it follows that substantiallyy the same vacuum pressure will prevail in the heating element 34 and also in the suction chamber 2, because lment and thence into the engine.

`of the duct 39. Whenthe engineu is started,

for instance, the throttle valve is `nearly` closed and the partial vacuum created in 1the i suction-chamber2 (Fig. l) will enable the atmospheric pressure in the atmosphericchamber 3 to overcome the pressure of the coil-springl'and force the pistonand conmay, according to its adjustmenton'the piston-rod 14, fully close the' valve-port'll, or just leave it partly open'sothat asmall amount of the fuel mixture inthe' mixing chamber may be suckedinto the heating elelVhen thev engine 'is not running,there is, of course, no suction in the intake manifold or in the suction-chamber 2 and therefore, any flow of' the Huid-mixture is prevented by the'closingvalve 23 which. isl then-forced on its'seat by the coil-spring l5. the engine is running at full speed' and the throttle valve is opened full, or nearly full, th-eV vacuum pressurerin the intake manifold is reduced, accordingly'. The' difference 'in pressure between the suction-chamber 2 and the atmospheric-chamber 3 becomes less so that the piston will vbe lifted a lesserv amount,

Onthe other hand, whenk nec-ted controlling-valve 24 up, and the latter and the control valve will Vallow a" greater amount of the fuel mixture toflow into the discharge line 30. Byproperly adjusting the coil-spring land vthe control-valve 24 the correct amount of 'fuel mixture may be supplied `to suit ,differentv operating conditions of theengine. A H Y I am awareof the fact that"various'typesv of fuel-mixing devices have'been tried or my device, that is to sayrthefuel mixture introduced is least whenthe throttle valve is opened the most and vice-versa. y Although the operation of my device has been explained in connection' with a carburetor, the former may be used alone in which' caseV it wouldbe called upon to supply the whole amount of fuel, insteadfof ing as an auxiliary supplier of fuel'. T'

Itr is thought that the above description of the operation of the mixing device shown in Figs. land-2 will Vsuffice tofexplain the fundamental principle upon which the other alternative constructions are also based, and that further comment on this subject will not be required by those versed inthe art.

As will be understood, as suggestedherein, there may be slight changes made in thev construction and arrangement of thedetails of serv-.

my invention without departing from` they field and scope of the same, and Iintend' to include Aall such variations, as fall within the scope of the appendedv claims, in thisl combustion r engines of the character described, having a'suction chamber, an atinospheric chamber-,1 a'mixing chainbei and a `fue1chamber Communicating therewith,

the combination of a plurality of lines` for conducting the component fluids of said fuel into said mixing chamber; a heating element in communication with lsaid `fuel chamber and with the intake manifold of said engine;

.said intake manifold being in communicationwith said suction chamber; a member movable within the suction chamber; means for exerting a downwardpressure on said movable member; a valve-stem positioned on said movable member and a valve on said valve-stem for cutting off the communication Ybetween said mixing chamber and fuel chamthe component fluids of Ysaid fuel into said mixing chamber; a heating element inv com-k munication Vwith said fuel chamber and with the intake manifold of said engine; said in- `take manifold being in communicationwith said suction chamber; a member movable `within the suction chamber; mea-ns for exerting a downward pressure on said mov-V able y member; a valve-stem positioned on said movable member, a valve on said valvestern for cuttingloff theicommunicatio'n between said mixing chamber and fuel chamber when said engine istat a :stand-still and a control-valve also mounted on. said stem for regulating the supply of fuel to said intake manifold, accordinglto'the pressure prevailingA in said suction chamber. Y Y

3; In a fuel mixing device for an internal combustion engine of the character described having a,I suctionl chamber,a separate atinospheric chamber, a separate mixing chamber and a fuel chamber communicating with the latter, all of said chambers being in superposed axial alignment to form a unitary body, the combination of a plurality ofy lines for conducting the component fluids of said fuel into said mixing chamber; a tubular heating-,element in communication with said fuel chamber and with the intake manifold of said engine, and means actuated by the vfluid pressure in said intake manifold for controlling the amount of mixed fuel supplied to said manifold; a Y

4:. In a fuel mixing device for an internal combustion engine of the character described having ausuction chamber, a separate atmospheric chamber, a separate mixing chamber and afuel chamber communicating with the latter, all of said chambers being mounted 1n superposcd axial alignment to form a Y unitary body, the combination of'a plurality mounted l of lines for conducting the component fluids of said fuel into said mixing chamber; a tubular heating-element yin communication with said fuel chamber and with the intake manifold of said engine; means actuated vby the fiuid pressure in said intake. manifold for controlling'the amount of mixed fuel supplied to said manifold, and spring actuated means for cutting off the supply of the mixed fuel to said engine when inoperative.

5. In a fuel mixing device Vfor an internal combustion 'engine of the character described, having a suction chamber, .an atmospheric chamber, a mixing chamber and a fuel cham ber con'imunicating therewith `through a port, the combination of a pluralityfof lines for conducting the component fluids of said `fuel into said mixing chamber; a heating element in communication with said fuel chamber and vwith the intake manifold o f said engine, said intake. manifold being in communication with said suction chamber; a member movable within the suction chamber; means for exerting a downward pressure on said movable member; a valve-stein positioned on said movable vmember and a valvev mounted on said stem and longitudinally adjustable thereon for .cutting off the communication betweensaid mixing chamber and fuel chambei' when'said engine is inoperative.

6. In a fuelmixing device for an internal combustion engine of the character described, having a suction chamber, an atmospheric chamber, a mixing chamber and a'fuel chamber communicating therewith through a port, the combination of a plurality of lines for conducting the component fluids of said fuel into said mixing chamber; a heating element in communication with said'fuel chamber and' with the intakemanifold of said engine, said intake manifold being in communica# tion with said suction chamber; a member movable within the suction chamber; means for exerting a downward pressure on said movable member; a valve-stem positioned on the movable` member and having a. threaded portion extending within said mixing and fuel chambers and engaging said port; a valve adjustable on said threaded portion for cutting off the communication between the last two mentioned chambers, and a con-v trol-valve also mounted for longitudinal adjustment on said threaded portion for regulating the supplyV of fuel to said intake manifold according to the )ressure prevailing in said suction chamber. l

7. In a fuel mixing device for an internal combustion engine of the character described, having a suction chamber, an atmospheric chamber, a mixing chamberand a fuel chamber communicating therewith through a port, the comb-inationof a plurality of lines for conducting the component fluids of said fuel into said mixing chamber; a heating element in' communication with said fuel chamber and with the intake manifold yof said engine, said intake manifold being m communication with said suction chamber;

a member movable within the suction cham-` ber; adjustable resilient means for exerting a downward pressure on said movable member; a valvestem positioned on the movable member and having a threaded portion eX- tending Within said mixing and fuel chambers and engaging said port; a valve adjustable on said threaded portion for cutting off ed to gradually restrict the passage area of said port for regulating the supply of fuel to said intake manifold according to the pressure. prevailing in said suction chamber.- I

In testimony whereof I affix my signature'.

vHYMAN D. BOWMAN.` 

